Improvement in apparatus for carbureting gas



S. GWYNN,

Carburetor. I No. 318,357. I Patented April 28. 1863'.

\ ERUM UNITED STATES PATENT mes.

STUART GWYNN, OF NEJV YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO GEORGE ODIORNE,

OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT IN APPARATUS FOR CAPLBURETING GAS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 38.357, dated April KS, 1833.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, STUART GWYNN, of New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful improvement in machines or apparatus for generating illuminating-gas from hydrocarbon fluids 5 and I hereby declare that the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is such a full, clear, and exact description thereof as will enable others to make and use the same.

The principle common to all apparatus for generating illuminating-gas from hydrocarbons consists, in substance, in the charging of atmospheric air to saturation with the vapor of said fluid. For this purpose the apparatus heretofore constructed employed a porous substance, whose interstices were first filled with the fluid, and a current of air was then passed over it. These were seriously defective, as the fluid filling the pores or interstices of the material presented a very limited surface of evaporation to the air, while the temperature of the fluid to be evaporated was injuriously reduced. To remedy the latter, it was found necessary to provide the gas-generator with a heating lamp or burner for the purpose of keeping the temperature of the fluid up to the degree requisite for easy vaporization.

The use of an auxiliary lamp or burner for heating purposes is inconvenient, wasteful, and often dangerous, as the heating and consequent evaporation goes on constantly, irrespective of the number of burners in operation. It is also necessary to light before and to extinguish the heating-lamp after using theburn'ers. Another objection against existing machines is that the volatile hydrocarbons generally used, for illuminating pur poses contain a large excess of carbon over and above the amount required to produce a brilliant light free from smoke, to correct which a greater or less quantity of hydrogen gas ought to be passed with the air into the apparatus, for which, however, the machines heretofore in use had no provision. Still another and serious defect consisted in the arrangement and operation of parts whereby the necessary amount of air is forced into the apparatus. Thus where pumps or bellows are used the friction, wear and tear,"and consequent leakage are very great. The use of revolving chambers in the fashion of gas-meters, on the other hand, is o jectionable, on account of the resistance due to the fluid in which the chamber or bucket wheel revolves. The resistance to be overcome by these apparatus is very great, while but a comparatively small quantity of air is forced into the apparatus.

The nature of my invention therefore consists, first, in forcing the air through a porous medium diffusely charged, but not filled, with fluid, so that the air shall penetrate through as well as over the whole mass of porous substance; second, in using for the fluid-reservoir and for the apparatus where the vaporization is effected separate and distinct vessels, so that the cooling due to evaporation shall not reduce the temperature of the mass of fluid; third, in combining with an apparatus for charging atmospheric air with the vapor of hydrocarbon fluids of a hydrogen-gas generator to supply hydrogen in proportion to the excess of carbon; fourth, in the general construction, combination, or arrangement and operation of parts constituting a gas-generator for hydrocarbon fluids, so that while the requisite amount of pressure of gas is produced there shall be the least possible friction or other source of resistance.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I shall now proceed to describe the same, having reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of my improved apparatus, the section being made according to a plane, 3 a, passing through the axes of the air-condenser, hydrogen-gas generator, fluid-reservoir, and vaporizer, which constitute the main parts or elements of my gas-generator. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a transverse section of the air-condenser and hydrogen-gas genelator, according to line 00 y in Fig. 1. Figs. 4 and 5 are detail views showing the prime mover and mechanism for imparting motion to the oscillating drum operating the aircondenser, and Fig. 6 a detail view of a diaphragm-valve used in the air-condenser.

My improved gas apparatus consists of four principal parts, hereinbefore referred to-t'. e.

First. An air-condenser, or, as it is often termed, an air-pump. In this part of my apparatus a constant and regular supply of air from without is conveyed or forced into the other parts of my machine.

Second. A hydrogen-gas generator. This part of my machine is filled with iron filings or shavings, through which the air from the air-condenser, after having been charged with moisture, is conveyed, for the purposes here inafter to be explained.

'lhird. A reservoir containing the hydrocarbon fluid and feeding the apparatus therewith in quantities regulated according to its evaporation.

Fourth. An evaporatorin which the air, or the mixture of air and hydrogen, by passing through a porous medium diffusely charged with hydrocarbon fluid, becomes duly vaporized and ready as illuminating-gas to be conveyed to the burners.

The air-condenser is composed ofa stationary cylindrical vessel, A, containing a drum, B, hung upon a hollow axle, (l. The drum is divided longitudinally by means of two partitions, a a, into three compartments, b, c, and d, the iormer being hermetically sealed and containing; air, while the latter two are open along gaps or slits e e. The drum, when in operation, has an oscillating or vibratory motion upon its axis, which is imparted to it from a prime mover by means of two cogsegments, K K, one of which is mounted on the drumaxle, while the other is pivoted at k to the outer vessel or some other stationary part of the machine. The pitman L, receiving its reciprocating motion from the crank of a clockwork operated by weight or'spring, (see Fig. 4,) causes the upper segment, K, to rock or vibrate on its center of vibration, is, which segment, being'geared with the other segment, K, will transmit its motion to the drum. The gear is arranged to oscillate the drum one hundred and eighty degrees, more or less, according to the quantity of water or fluid contained in the vessel. I propose to fill the vessel to little above the axle of the drum, so that by each oscillation the compartments (Z and cshall alternately fill with water and air, the one compartment filling itself with water, while the other empties itself and fills its capacity with air. The effect of this filling with low journal at 0 will press against the diaphragm g g, lift it oft'its seat, and thus allow the air to penetrate the drum-compartment, to take place of the water as it flows out of it. While this is going on on the one side of the partition f,the valves 9 goperateinverselyi. 0., as the drum-compartment becomes filled with water, the air therein is compressed and forced into the valve-tubes g g, when the diaphragms are lifted to allow the air to penetrate the hollow journal, whence it is forced up along the pipe h, into the hydrogengas generator D. The latter is composed of a gasometer-bell, D, in a reservoir, E, through the bottom of which passes the pipe h, into the chamber F. A perforated bottom, "5 1, holds in suspension in the chamber F iron filings or scraps, which are oxidized by the air passing first through water, and thereby liberate hydrogen, which, together with the excess of air constantly issuing from the pipe h, is conveyed or carried off through the tube 1, into the vaporizer. The gasometer-bell, it will be understood, regulates the pressure of the air and hydrogen and the flow thereof, also forms a hydraulic joint or packing to prevent the escape of either air or hydrogtn from the generator. The vaporizer G is a cylindrical vessel closed at top by a spherical cap, from the center of which springs a pipe, which conveys the illuminatinggas to the burners in the different parts of the house. It is connected with the hydrogengas generator by tube 1, starting from its bottom and bending upward, terminating within the roof of the gasometer D. This tube performs the functions of an equilibrium-valve, the liquid in the bottom of the vessel G entering the tube and occupying therein a position according to the pressure on either side of the column of the liquid mass. I The vaporizer is filled with some fibrous ma- ,terial or porous substance, which is held in suspension by means of a perforated plate or false bottom, I. Hydrocarbon fluid is fed into this vaporizer from the fluid-reservoir K, which is composed of a tank closed upon all {its sides. On top there is a screw-cap adapted to a collar, L, through which the fluid is introduced, and in the bottom there is a conical orifice or outlet, which is regulated by a conical valve, M, guided in a tube, N, as shown and emptying of the drum-compartments of in Fig. 1. The reservoir has an exterior cylthe water is to force or pump and condense atmospheric air in the manner as follows The axle in the drum is enlarged, and is there provided with a partition, f, on one side of which are valves to fill the drum with air, while on the other side valves are arranged to expel the air therefrom and to force it into the hydrogengas generator. These valves (shown enlarged in section in Fig. 6, are flanged tubes, the flange of which is perforated through its thickness and covered with an elastic diaphragm. The rotation of the drum causes the water in the ascending compartmentv to flow out, thereby creating in said compartment a partial vacuum, whereby the air entering the holinder-bell, Q, attached to it, which fits over an inverted cylinder-bell, 0, within an outer casing, P. The space between the last-named cylindrical surfaces, 0 and P, is partially filled with water before the reservoir is let down. When the reservoir is placed in its position, the cylindrical bell Q will penetrate the space between the two surfaces 0 and P, and displace the water so as to form a perfect hydraulic packing or joint.

In the operation of my apparatus an equilibri um is constantly established between the fluid in the reservoir and the vaporizer, air from the latter displacing the fluid as the supply requires it. The air forced through the pipe I, in passing up through thefluid, whose level mass in the vaporizer is shown by the line in it, carries along with it fluid in spray form, which becomes diffused throughout the mass of fibrous material, where it is in the most favorable condition to vaporize and pass off, thoroughly aerated, into the tube or pipe, conveying it as illuminating-gas to the burners.

Having thus described my invention, I claim-- 1. The general arrangement and combina tion of apparatus, substantially as herein shown and described, for forcing the air through a porous medium diffusely charged, but not filled with fluid, so that the air shall penetrate through as well as pass over the mass of porous substance, as herein set forth.

STUART GWYNN.

Witnesses A. POLLA-K, WM. H. HARRISON. 

